Tuesday, March 20
- Bro. Ron goes on ELWA radio station and takes questions for the second day. The station will begin airing his Sword & Shield radio broadcast, Monday through Friday, on April 1 this year.
- Salome (my brother's daughter) comes to the guesthouse to spend some time with Joe Walker, who is fond of the young singer. Salome spends the entire day with the team, and I use this time to further bond with my daughter. I dream of having Salome sing at Church For All in Owensboro, Kentucky.
- Dental clinic continues in Slipway. Charlotte and Heather, along with their Liberian helpers, lovingly ministered to the long line of people needed their teeth cleaned and/or pulled. The practical ministry lasted four hours, from 10 AM to 2 PM.
- Elder Martin Curlon drove us (Jason Toler, Kevin Young and Brother G. Matally) to Capitol Hill for business-related meetings with Rep. Clarence Massaquoi, brother to Abraham Kollie, one of our drivers. We were surprised by the youthfulness of the Liberian legislator, whom we find to be dignified and knowledgeable. He described himself as a Christian who wants to see Christian principles undergird how Liberia is government and how business is done in the nation, saying, integrity is the key to business arrangements between Liberians and their foreign counterparts.
- Mr. Massaquoi then led us to the office Rep. Hans Barchue, the Deputy Speaker, and I found out he and I are from the same tribe: Bassa. We would have met with the Speaker of the House, but he had traveled out of the country. Rep. Barchue is from Owensgrove, the same town where my 125-year-old grand matriarch, Aunt Banty, lives on the Buchanan highway. Mr. Barchue commented the need for real partnership between Liberians and Americans in business ventures. Our visit with the two legislators lasted until it was time for them to attend their Tuesday session of the Liberian legislature.
- It is my prayer and vision for the two businessmen, Jason and Kevin, to discover an opportunity or two for doing viable, profitable business in Liberia. A middle class is almost nonexistent in post-war Liberia, and Liberians becoming business owners beyond petty hand-to-mouth operations. For example, we want Liberians to operate large restaurants; presently, such businesses are owned by foreigners.
- One of the most important connections thus far took place between agriculturalist Joseph Morseray and Jason & Kevin at the ELWA guesthouse. When I rejoined the discussion, Joseph explained rice farming. Though rice is Liberia's staple food, it is difficult to find locally grown rice here; the vast majority of Liberians in Monrovia, and I hear even some Liberians in the villages, now live on imported rice. That is a sad reality, considering the imported rice from China, etc, is very unhealthy, probably contributing to the declining lifespan of Liberians. This tropical country with rich soil and 100s of inches of rainfall should be able to easily produce all the rice Liberians need, plus some to export!
- Around 5 PM, we meet with ministers and others who want to join the Salt Covenant Network. Some 45 Christian leaders attended. Starting with Titus 1:4-5, Bro. Ron explained the importance of ministers and churches returning to the New Testament order of church leadership, which is rooted in spiritual father-son relationship. This father-son order will only work as ministers lay down their titles, abandon self-promoting competition, forbidding to speak ill or evil of one another. Numerous attendees asked questions, which Bro. Ron, and other mission team members answered. Both Bro. Ron and I emphasized repeatedly that our network is not denominational, that we are not asking ministers to convert their denominational affiliations in any way. Finally, in prior agreement with Charlotte and me, Bro. Ron appointed Pastor Jonathan Williams to lead the Salt Covenant Network in Liberia. Pastor Williams came forward, knelt, with his hands lifted upwards, and the group of ministers encircled and prayed over him. With that, the Salt Covenant Network in Liberia has been officially launched. ~End Blog 11 ~
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